An advisory committee to the Food & Drug Administration in the US has been told that unreasonable FDA restrictions on healthcare use of safe and effective antibacterial ingredients could jeopardise the safety of patients and healthcare workers alike.more

The first ever ISSA/Interclean Istanbul event is poised to create an interesting learning experience by providing insight in Turkey, the Middle Eastern and Northern African region, says the show organiser.

Being staged in the city that bridges East and West, Turkey has one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and one that is expected to be the second fastest growing market in the world by 2020, so expectations are high.more

As part of its strong commitment to food safety, the National Restaurant Association in the US has announced that this year's National Food Safety Month (NFSM), held annually in September, will mark its 20-year anniversary by featuring the top 20 food safety tips from the past 20 years.more

Themed 'Weaving culture... building maintenance and cleaning that create rich life', the 21st World Congress of the World Federation of Building Service Contractors will be held in Tokyo from 4th to 7th April 2016 more

Kimberly-Clark Professional announced this week that its aviation industry cleaning products have been qualified and listed on Aerospace Material Specification AMS 3819C and Boeing Material Specification BMS 15-5G.more

Nyco Products Company has announced the introduction of its OM1 Series brand, said to be the first North American industrial and institutional cleaning brand formulated with new Eastman Omnia high-performance solvent.more

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I've been speaking with the owner of a guesthouse who's had complaints from some of the residents over the past year or so, about the smell of damp. Two of the longer term residents have now started to suffer from sinusitis and respiratory problems, which led to the landlord removing a grille between one of the en suites and the adjoining bedroom, which had been hidden by a bed.

As our image shows, there is black mould within the cavity that appears to go right along the wall and I understand that this is the case with other rooms too.

The landlord had started to use bleach to clean the mould but following a disagreement with the residents, agreed to wait to take further action until Cleanzine's readers have had their say, so it's over to you...

Are you able to suggest methods and products please that will help this reader (and probably others too) safely remove the mould and prevent its recurrence? The guesthouse has 35 bedrooms, many of which have en suites. Thank you!

Kaivac, known for innovation, has announced that it has just been awarded its 13th patent from the US Patent Office. The latest patent is for the company's Smart Towel System, which was introduced about five years ago.

At first glance, the Smart Towel looks very similar to a typical microfibre cleaning cloth. However, what makes it unique - and helped it earn US Patent No. 8,800,094 - is the fact that the cloth can be folded into four quadrants on one side and then flipped over and folded into four more quadrants, allowing for a fresh quadrant to be used for cleaning surfaces.more

Landlords, property owners and facilities managers now face hefty fines if they fail to comply with the Legionella legislation, recently updated by the Health & Safety Executive.

The revised legislation deals with the control of risks associated with Legionella, a water-borne bacteria, which can have serious and often fatal consequences if it develops into Legionnaire's disease.more

In response to your latest 'soapbox' article on the need for a BS cleaning standard, there already exists a European standard 'BS EN 15221-2:2006. Facility management. Guidance on how to prepare facility management agreements' which may cover the issue, but at a cost of £192, few people are likely to buy it.more

In just one week, (September 17th – 19th) the International Facility Management Association will host thousands of FM professionals at its World Workplace Conference & Expo in New Orleans, US, and an exciting programme of events has been organised.

The value-packed conference programme includes, amongst other things:

* Engaging and inspiring keynote speakers

* Cutting-edge educational offerings

* A world-renowned product and services exposition

Delegates will be invited to pursue exceptional professional development opportunities… whether it’s a world-renowned professional credential programme, information on an IFMA Foundation-accredited degree programme or any of the timely educational sessions, IFMA’s World Workplace is a hub of gold standard FM professional development opportunities.more

From 1st January, 2015, Nilfisk-CFM will be changing its name to Nilfisk, with the identifier: Industrial Vacuum Solutions.

That is not the only change though, as in addition to industrial vacuums cleaners, pneumatic conveyors and centralised vacuum systems, customers will be able to buy commercial vacuum cleaners, scrubber dryers, sweepers, single disc machines, burnishers and carpet extractors, under one premium brand: Nilfisk.more

A new generation of high-reach gutter cleaning equipment has been launched after five years of development by Spacevac Technologies.

Operated from ground level, the new system has four major features. It removes operational guesswork as it comes with a close circuit TV camera on the cleaning head; it is said to reach higher than any other product - four stories (14 metres); has greater suction power - will safely remove an engineering brick from a gutter; and its carbon fibre tubes are believed to make it much lighter than any other.more

Sani Professional, the food safety division of Professional Disposables International, has announced the launch of the Sani Professional Food Safety Advisory Council.

Recognising the critical nature of food safety in today's broader foodservice industry, the SPFSAC is dedicated to raising awareness of best practices in the prevention of foodborne illness across a broad spectrum of foodservice operations via education and solution support.more

Businesses usually review progress through monthly reporting. Within a typical monthly report will be a set of slides and/or spreadsheets that purport to contain all of the information required to make decisions for the following month(s).

These reports will almost always include 'scorecards' for various business activities and often include a set of Key Performance Indicators for the business.more

While it is obligatory for UK quoted companies to report greenhouse gas emissions, it is becoming increasingly essential for all businesses, big or small, to highlight their environmental credentials by measuring and reducing their carbon footprint.more

Providing washroom products and hygiene services across London, Essex and the South East, the company prides itself on its commitment to providing the best service and bringing innovation to the industry, whilst also going a step further by supporting a deserving charity.more

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Mary de Cobos of Futureclean Assured Systems comments on the recent Equalities & Human Rights Commission's reports on the cleaning industry and explains how she feels that we as an industry can put things right:

I write regarding commentary on the recently released EHRC reports on pay and conditions in the commercial cleaning industry (1 & 2) (13-08-2014) and the report on contractual conditions for cleaning companies (3). As consultants and developers in cleaning systems and well experienced cleaners ourselves, the following are our observations about these reports.more

With this year's Ladder Exchange now underway, the Ladder Association is again asking for submissions to its Idiots on Ladders contest, which has the public send in the worst pictures of ladder use they can find, to show just how dangerous it can be to misuse a ladder.more

Brayborne Facilities Services has won eight new cleaning contracts totalling £1.5 million over three years, in schools across the south of England, strengthening the company's presence in the specialist education sector.more

Weltec Biopower (UK), based in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, has been granted the contract to extend the award-winning food waste AD plant in Piddlehinton, Dorset. Plant owner Eco Sustainable Solutions is expanding with a further 1.1MW of food waste processing capacity.more

An examination by the Equality and Human Rights Commission published just after the last issue of Cleanzine was broadcast, has revealed that some employers in the commercial cleaning industry are failing to meet their responsibilities to their staff in relation to pay, holiday or sick leave and dealing with their concerns. Many cleaners feel that their employer, client firms and the public do not treat them with the dignity and respect everyone should expect.more

The BCC is the voice of the cleaning industry and welcomes any initiative that seeks to raise standards in the cleaning sector. In this respect we do welcome the EHRC's work, as highlighting malpractice gives all stakeholders the opportunity to discuss these issues in an open forum.more

Brayborne Facilities Services, has welcomed the recommendations of the Equalities & Human Rights Commission in its report published last week, 'The Invisible Workforce: Employment Practice in the Cleaning Sector' and has joined the call for improved working conditions and employment rights for cleaning operatives.more

With fears of an ageing workforce and impending skills gap gripping the sector, The Building Futures Group has launched a national campaign with the aim of attracting young people to the cleaning and facilities management sectors.more

The WoolSafe Organisation is now busy preparing to host its third WoolSafe Educational Conference in the UK, an event that promises to deliver a fantastic mixture of presentations and workshops tutored by the industry's finest while offering an invaluable networking opportunity.more

It is a well-documented fact that small and medium-size businesses are the life-blood of UK's economy. According to the Confederation of British Industry, they account for 99.9% of private sector companies and provide 60% of private sector jobs, so it's no wonder the UK Government is working to create the right conditions for businesses to fulfil their growth potential.more

ISSA, the worldwide cleaning industry association & BBS (BICS Business Services) has this week announced details of its second 'Industry Certification Expert' training workshop. These workshops form an integral part of ISSA's acclaimed Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) which launched in the UK and Ireland earlier this year.more

British steam cleaning machine manufacturer Matrix has had a complete makeover with its identity. This new, very contemporary look, will be the main feature on all of the machine models in the range.more